I think I need to go up a hole or two with my leathers, but my bad knee isn't quite there yet.

Oh, and we were headed towards a jump, so I think I might have been juuuust starting to go into two point.

PintoTess

02-07-2011 05:29 AM

Hmmm, Kinda hard to see but you need to keep your heels down (if possible), Bring your hands up and have a little more bend in your elbow and more give in your hands. To help give a little, hold your hands like you are holding a coffee mug handle, with your thumbs on top, Fix these and you should be Sweeeeeeeet!! :D

ErikaLynn

02-07-2011 10:45 AM

You look good, expect it looks like you are using the reins as balance. Try relaxing your whole arm, bend your elbow and raise your hands more, you look like you have them planted on his withers.

Since you are coming towards a jump, it is the most important time you should be keeping your hands up. Also you should should be sitting with your shoulders back all the way to the jump and encouraging your horse to move forward with your legs.

I think your legs and your stirrup length looks good..your heal can go down more, but I'm sure it's hard coming off of a knee injury.

tinyliny

02-08-2011 12:17 AM

Yeah, you look a little like you are pushing a cart. It's the stiff arms and this actually puts the horse more on the forehand. Your leg looks good, right under you, tho stirrup has gone too deep onto foot.

I see you seem to be hunching your shoulders up around your neck. Are you anticipating pain, by chance? Good on ya for getting back after surgery.

QHDragon

02-08-2011 10:05 AM

Thanks everybody! I have gotten into a really bad habit of holding my hands down, before my surgery I didn't have that problem at all. I will say that I know I'm not using the reins for balance (even though it looks like that), I am very light with the contact otherwise Blue drops his head way behind the bit with too much contact and its just ugly.

Its back to the basics for me now though, had a set back with my knee this weekend. Grrrr.

MyBoyPuck

02-08-2011 09:49 PM

Take your time with the knee. Mine took 3 years to not bother me anymore. No sense in rushing it and messing things up permanently. No critique from me. Others already mentioned the broken line to the bit.

QHDragon

02-09-2011 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyBoyPuck
(Post 921796)

Take your time with the knee. Mine took 3 years to not bother me anymore. No sense in rushing it and messing things up permanently. No critique from me. Others already mentioned the broken line to the bit.

Well it wasn't horse related...this time. Clumsy me missed the second to last step going down the stairs and down I went. Knee swelled up like a balloon and three days later is finally going back down. Pain levels are way up again though. :-(

Not much riding for me for a while! Everything was going so good too!

tinyliny

02-09-2011 12:20 AM

I was thinkiing about how I even dared to critique you riding after knee surgery. I am tied up with a bad back right now, and though I could ride, I am so stiff that I would look like a stone pretzel no doubt. I would hate to be critiqed now. I am NOT myself.

QHDragon

02-09-2011 09:08 AM

That's even my bad knee facing towards the camera. :p

I have become a much better rider post-surgery I think, but that is a combination of moving barns and getting a trainer that is really helping me and having a horse that has to be ridden a certain way.